EUGENE -- I'll write more later today about some of Oregon coach Dana Altman's remarks following Oregon's victory against USC on Saturday evening, but though the game was two days ago, it's still important to mark the prevailing mood in the room.

The pressure of losing six of seven games had created not just a monkey on Oregon's back, but what Altman called a "gorilla." By beating USC on the first day of February the Ducks temporarily shed the concern about their January nosedive, and Altman was perhaps the loosest on the team.

"That's that first time I've laughed in a month," Altman said to close his press conference, and here's why.

In particular he was asked about the occasion of the night, a weeks-early 76th birthday celebration for Nike co-founder Phil Knight that included a bobblehead of UO's biggest booster. Sensing a softball question and a chance to have some fun with his answer, Altman closed by cracking an unexpected, hilarious and self-deprecating joke by referencing the nine-game suspensions for Ben Carter and Dominic Artis for selling team-issued gear on eBay last spring.

Here's the transcript, but watch the video of the press conference below, too. His remarks start around 10:40.

"I didn't see the bobble head, I hope it looks good for him. You know it's kind of silly promotion but it won, it worked, whatever, it worked, it got people here. That'll be a collector item; I'm sure people will be saving that. Make sure the team doesn't get any so we don't put any on eBay and sell them. We've got to make sure the team doesn't get any. That's that first time I've laughed in a month. Thanks!"

After a January where Oregon entered 12-0 and left 14-6, it was a rare moment of levity. One too good not to share.